


Top Dog

by orphan_account



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Military, Alternate Universe - Navy, Alternate Universe - Top Gun, M/M, Rivals to Lovers, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-28 03:57:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17175422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: On March 3, 1969 the United States Navy established an elite school for the top one percent of its pilots. Its purpose was to teach the lost art of aerial combat and to insure that the handful of men and women who graduated were the best fighter pilots in the world.They succeeded.Today, the Navy calls it Fighter Weapons School.The flyers call it: TOPGUNLieutenant Alec "Iceman" Lightwood and his RIO, Jace "Fury" Herondale are sent to the Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar in California after their wingman resigns from active service following a deadly interception with two hostile aircraft. When the competition begins for the coveted "Top Gun" award, a prestigious recognition only given to the best fighter pilot in their ranks, stakes are high for both of them. As time goes on, Alec finds himself crossing horns with Lieutenant Magnus "Warlock" Bane, a rival student who has earned the reputation of flying recklessly in a bid to outsmart and outmaneuver his enemies with unorthodox tactics.





	Top Dog

"You know that I can't, Ice. I can't. I'm sorry but I just can't," Lynx wheezes out hoarsely, his hand tightening around the glass of ice water into a death grip. "I have a family to think about. You know what happened back there? I sure didn't. But I can't take the risk of finding out again. I lost control and we nearly died. I nearly _died_. My RIO nearly died, because I lost control. I understand. I get it. I do, you don't trust anyone else to be your wingman. But I can't be your wingman anymore. I just can't."

"Everybody has that happen at some point in their life, Lynx. But you can't be quitting over this! What happened with those two bogeys on our six wasn't your fault! It wasn't your fault!" Alec's RIO, Jace 'Fury' Herondale, replies fiercely. "MiGs were playing you like a damn fiddle and they were lucky they weren't gunned down."

Alec purses his lips and absently shakes the glass of whiskey in his hand, silently letting their conservation wash over him. The incoherent tunes and cacophony of the bar was a pleasant distraction from the storm of thoughts and plans tearing through his head and he bit down harshly on his tongue in fear of the stream of words that would come out, if he were a man of lesser discipline and smaller willpower.

"Come on, Ice. Say something. Say _something_ , will you?"

Alec sighs, rolling his shoulders as he cranes his neck and stares at his wingman dead in the eye. "Well, what do you want to me say? It's clear you're not going to be convinced to stay on. It's your choice, Lynx. It's your choice, in the end. I'm not going to think badly of you either way. But, Fury here, he's got the right deal. Give it time and you might wear it off. I don't trust anyone else to be my wingman. And neither does he."

"Well, what the hell does it matter anyway? Rumor mill has it that Captain Morgenstern is goin' to be sending his ace pilot from our squadron real soon to Topgun in Miramar," Lynx chuckles bitterly. "And we all know who it is."

Alec clenches his jaw and deliberately looks away from his wingman, eyes fixed on the full glass of whiskey that has been refilled for him. "So we do. But I have to ask, Lynx. If you really wanted it so bad, then why did you stay as my wingman in our years aboard the _USS Enterprise_? If you really wanted it that bad, you could've lived out your glory days with someone else."

"Damn, you really are what your reputation says you are. Can't believe I never got used to it, all these years. Un-fucking-believable. You never mince 'em, eh? Just know what to say to cut straight through the core," Lynx shakes his head and chuckles again, this time it was tinged with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Forget what I said, Ice. Tomorrow, I'm turnin' in my wings and heading out. No more me. No more 'Lynx'."

"Well, whatever then, Lynx. If we can't convince you to stay on, then, heck, what the fuck do we have to say?" Fury sighs.

"You know, I love you two assholes despite everything we've been through," Lynx laughs. "You two better kick their asses over at Miramar. I don't want to have to hear from those stuck-up punks that someone took your spot at those plaques. If anyone can do it, you two can."

With a huff, Alec's former wingman jumps off the barstool and gives them both a mock salute with his index and middle finger. "See you around," he smiles weakly, before whipping around and sauntering toward the exit of the noisy bar.

"So," his RIO sighs, shrugging as he downs another glass of whiskey. "What's the plan?"

"The Captain's going to call us down tomorrow," Alec replies calmly.

"And? What makes you so sure of that?"

"Didn't you hear what Lynx said? Rumor mill has been going crazy for a while now. Captain will be sending his top dogs out to Miramar tomorrow."

"Alec, innocence doesn't really look flattering on you," Fury sighs, shaking his head.

"Look, Jace, we didn't get to where we are today by playing it safe and keeping our head down. We all knew what we signed up for," Alec swallows another generous helping of whiskey, wincing a little when that familiar throb of haziness spreading through his head indicated the beginnings of inebriation. "I knew what I signed up for. I'm going to get a spot at Topgun, one way or another."

"You know," Jace huffs in playful indignation as he scoots closer and jostles him with his broad shoulder. "I think they were wrong when they gave you the callsign 'Ice'. You probably should've been something like 'Razor' or 'Maverick'. You were never the guy that was content to sit anything out. You always know what you want and when you do, you go after it hard. Yeah, I think 'Maverick' would've suited you real nice."

"It wouldn't have flown. Yeah, I guess I'm aggressive but so are those guys at Topgun. And besides, does it look like I'm the guy that likes to break the rules and regulations whenever I want?" Alec shakes his head, even as the beginnings of a smile threatened to break out over his face. "Whoever earns that callsign seems like the exact guy to do just that. Aggressive _and_ dangerous. I'm the former but I sure as heck am not the latter."

"Nah, I still think it fits you. Really, it does. And you _are_ dangerous, Alec. Probably not in that fiery way. But you are, so, never doubt that."

"Oh, yeah? Well, I'm all ears. Tell me exactly, how I am...dangerous enough to hold my own against the top dogs in that pit."

Jace sighs, looking away and gesturing for another refill of his own glass to the bartender. "You know icebergs? Ice, in general? You know how they are always so sharp if you're not careful with what edge to cut? Yeah sure, it melts near a heat source, but it's also dangerous in its own way. You're like that. Everything you do up there, from the way you sync with your wingman to the maneuvers you did to get around the bogeys and get the lock on them; everything is on point and you never miss anything crucial. You are _aggressively accurate_ and on the dot in everything you do. Nothing shakes you up in our combat missions and frankly, it sometimes actually freaks me out how you can always keep your head whenever we're up there. It was like you were _born_ to be up there."

Alec shakes his head, huffing out an embittered chuckle. "Are you sure it's not because of my reputation for being too blunt and not being warm and fuzzy enough for a human?"

"So what? Fuck 'em, Alec. Fuck 'em, 'cause what are they gonna do? Whine? Complain? To be frank, anyone would be lucky to have you as a member of their squadron. It's just a fact that you are one of the best fighter pilots out there, and that's coming from even Captain Morgenstern himself."

"We'll see the verdict on that tomorrow. Right now, I just want to forget the fact that we just lost the only wingman that has ever managed to keep up with us."

Fury snickers. "Keep blowing it out of your ass and the rest of them at Miramar might just come knocking tomorrow."

* * *

They did, after all, come knocking at the first light of dawn.

Alec and his RIO were both called in to Captain Morgenstern's office just after 0700, standing at parade rest in front of his seated figure. A roll of tobacco clinched between his teeth, the Captain flared his nostrils and a puff of grey smoke shot out of his lungs, before he raises his head to pin them both with an inscrutable expression. He closes the files and paperwork he was going through and stands up from his seat, arms crossing as he turns to face them. A smirk appears on his mouth before it twitched away.

"So, Lynx just turned in his wings. And now my ace is left with no wingman, and with even less in the squadron interested in filling in the spot missing on your flight crew. Tell me, boys, what do you want from me?" the Captain tilts his head and extracts the tobacco from his teeth, exhaling long wisps of smoke through his mouth. "You know the rules. Can't fly without a wingman. And, until we find a suitable replacement for Lynx that is willing to put up with your shit, Iceman, I don't think I'm sending you both to any combat missions sometime soon."

"So what are our options, sir?" Alec speaks quietly, eyes trained ahead and meeting the gaze of his Captain.

The Captain arches a brow. "You both could file for a transfer to another squadron and if you're lucky, maybe someone might take it up to be your wingman. Or, I could send you both to Topgun. Your choice, of course. But if I know you better, I'd say you will go for the latter."

"What choice do we have, sir? It seems like our only valid option is to get sent to Topgun," Alec replies monotonously.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking that I'll welcome you back here once you graduate, Iceman. You might be my best fighter pilot, but, up there?" the Captain craned his neck and gave them a sidewards glance, smirking. "It's the best of the best, fighting to be crowned the top dog of all fighter pilots out there. One little mistake and you might just find yourself at the bottom of the scrap heap. And they don't play either. So, I guess it's settled then. I send you to Topgun and we both win."

"Yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

 

 


End file.
